MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- The Nova Southeastern University volleyball team (6-4, 1-1 SSC) suffered their first Sunshine State Conference loss on Saturday afternoon falling 3-2 to the Barry University Buccaneers (7-2, 1-1 SSC). The Sharks fell in five sets (17-25, 25-23, 25-21, 13-25, 13-15).

After dropping the first set, 25-17, the Sharks bounced back and edged the Bucs in set two. Down 13-11, back-to-back errors by BU sparked a six-point run by the NSU and the Sharks took the lead, 17-13, and never let go of the lead. The Bucs attempted to rally, coming within two (22-20) but a kill by Katie Pyles halted their momentum and two more kills by Denvyr Tyler-Palmer sealed the deal for NSU, grabbing a 25-22 victory.

Barry held the lead early in set four, but again, errors by the Bucs' offense and a kill by Tashalyn Begon pushed NSU ahead, 8-4. The Sharks' biggest lead of the game came in the third set, 22-13, capped with a kill by Maddie Uilk, but an 8-1 run by Barry would bring the home team within two, 23-21. After two more errors by the Bucs, NSU earned the 25-21 win and gained the overall advantage, two sets to one.

Barry took off in the fourth set, taking an early 7-2 lead on a kill by Jaeda Allen. Kills by Tyler-Palmer and Begon brought the Sharks within three, 7-4, but the Bucs were on a mission and took off, cruising to a 25-13 victory and forcing a fifth set.

In the fifth, Nova Southeastern pulled ahead, 5-2, on kills by Tyler-Palmer and an ace by Natalie Melcher, before Barry rallied with five unanswered points to take the lead, 7-5. A kill by Uilk brought the deficit to one, 7-6, but Barry continued with its streak and added three more points off errors by the Sharks. NSU pushed with a 5-1 run, tying the game at 11 apiece. After going back and forth, Barry eventually finished the game with a kill by Allen, edging the Sharks, 15-13.

Tyler-Palmer led all players of the game with 21 kills and added eight digs. Jesican Ronyak tallied 12 kills and Uilk had a career-high eight kills to go along with three blocks. Sam Blasko recorded four service aces and Megan Burns logged 22 digs and five assists. Pyles contributed 36 assists and Begon had seven kills.

After six straight road matches, the Sharks will finally return to home play, taking on the No. 22 Florida Southern Moccasins in the NSU Arena on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Prior to the match, U.S. Pro Beach Volleyball players Brooke Sweat and Emily Day will be visiting Nova Southeastern University, an event open to the community hosted by Smoothie King. For more information, click here.
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